"These two prime ministers are in a position to show collective
leadership at these talks," said Greenpeace climate campaigner Jim
Footner, from Nusa Dua, where negotiations are taking place for the
second phase of the Kyoto Protocol. "And at this stage, some kind
of leadership is urgently needed.
"Having both ratified the Protocol, Kevin Rudd and Helen Clark
need to commit their countries to a range of 25-40% emissions
reductions for industrialized countries by 2020.
"The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change identified this
range as necessary to enable global temperature increases to not
exceed two degrees. If we don't succeed in doing this, we've
basically lost the chance to address this crisis effectively."
Mr Footner said New Zealand, having recognised the 25-40% range
as necessary, now needed to explicitly commit to it. "Once this
happens, Prime Minister Clark must urge the new Australian Prime
Minister to also adopt the targets. There is no reason for both
leaders not to make this crucial commitment.
"New Zealand and Australia have a close relationship both
culturally and economically. They now need to stand together on
tackling climate change by taking a progressive, leading
stance.
"There remains a leadership vacuum at the Bali negotiations. New
Zealand comes to these negotiations with an unprecedented package
of measures to tackle climate change domestically, yet so far the
New Zealand delegation has sat on its hands.
"It is imperative that the outcome of the Bali meeting
demonstrates progress towards this longer term agreement.
Specifically, Governments must agree a Bali mandate that includes
the following elements:
• A commitment to ensure that global emissions peak by 2015,
and for global temperatures to not exceed warming of 2 degrees
above pre industrial levels
• A commitment from developed countries like New Zealand to
an emissions reduction range of at least 25-40% below 1990 levels
by 2020 and at least 50-85% by 2050
• Agreement of a timetable for completion of the negotiations
for the second phase by 2009 at the latest
• A commitment to the establishment of an adaptation fund
that recognizes the need for dramatically increased funding,
ensures developing countries play a greater decision making role
and upholds the principle of public participation
• A framework for continuing discussions on the establishment
of the clean technology deployment fund that will kick start an
energy revolution in developing countries based on renewable energy
and energy efficiency
• Commitment to continue development of a mechanism that
incentivises reduced deforestation, that includes degradation as
part of the definition of deforestation.
Jim Footner: "A strong leadership role from New Zealand would
significantly change the dynamic of the negotiations moving into
the second week and further enhance New Zealand's reputation as a
progressive force in tackling climate change. Failure to do so will
represent a massive missed opportunity, bringing the Government's
commitment to tackling climate change in to question."
Other contacts: Jim Footner in Bali: +6281337949730
Kathy Cumming (communications officer, Auckland) – 021 495 216
Exp. contact date: 2008-01-02 00:00:00